Method of making cement



Patented Feb. 20, 1934 will PATENT @FEEQE METHGD 9F MAKKNG CEMENT Willoughby E. Snyder, Allentown, Pa.

No Drawing. Application March 39, 1933 Serial No. 663,577

Claims. (Cl. MiG-) This invention relates to the making of cement, hav a d r of fi s d a y yond and it is an object of the invention to provide that of known pract and beyond that Which an improved cement and method of making same. c n be Obta ed y y grinding Operation known An important object of the invention is to propp t- L vide a cement making composition, preparatory After hydrating the calcareous material to to clinkering, which will have a fineness far bea finely div powdery Condition, the l?- yond that of known practice, so that when this extreated argillaGeOU-S material and fi hydrated tremely finely divided material is subjected to the calcareous material are b u t o t and high temperature of the clinkering step, its exmiXEd e a t r by forming e treme fineness will oc si n a o thgrough cement making composition of the present invenas heating or the material so that there will result tiOIL The fi y divided Colldition 0f the heatthe -efrom b tter a d, a m thgrgugh ti treated argillaceous material and the heat-treated between the lime oxide and the silica and alumina and d t d calcareous mat ial enables t present in the composition, thereby to form the 1110513 intimate miXiDg Of these materialscalcium silicates and calcium aluminates essential The p fi COmPOSitiOH iS t C red i '10 to the production of cement and for giving the y Suitable preferred manner as y a clinkersalne its hydraulic properties. ing kiln. During the olinkering operation the In carrying out the present invention, I employ hydrated lime or calcium hydrate is first decoma w t i l having l base i one i posed and reconverted to an oxide and thereafter as which cal ium carbonate predominates or i the lime oxide will react with the silica and other words a calcareous material, and another alumina 0f the argillacefills material t by raw material in which clay predominates, Or 1 forming the calcium silicates and the calcium other words, an argillaceous material. The raw aluminat s w i h a ss t al t m nt ma n calcareous material is first crushed, provided of a d w c v t Cement its hydraulic N D 25 course that crushing to smaller size is necessary. tiBS- It Will hgl'e be Explained that during t B The calcareous or lime base material is subjected Olinkrirlg Operation and (iv-B the extremely to an elevated temperature, short of clinkering, finely divided condition of the mass of material but high enough to calcine and convert the calthere will be a more thorough heating o a i oium carbonate thereof to calcium oxide, the dividual particle of the material d t s the e 30 temperature being ll'lSllffiClBl'lt to produce hywill result abetter and more thorough clecomposdraulic properties in the material. The argiling and reconverting of the hydrated lime to laceous material or clay, containing silica and oxide form, and then a more thorough reaction alumina, is also subjected to an elevated temperabetween the lime oxide and the silica and alumina ture, short of clinkering, to dehydrate the same, of the argillaceous material with the result that 35 the temperature being insufficient to produce hythere is formed a very much greater percentage draulic properties therein. It will here be pointed of calcium silicates and calcium aluminates than out that the heat-treatment oi the calcareous in standard practice or in any practice known material and of the argillaceous material is not to applicant thus producing a cement having such as could possibly form calcium silicates and greater hydraulic properties and which will pro- 40 calcium aluminates at this stage of the procedure, duce concrete having materially increased and it will be further pointed out that it is an strength.

important object of the present invention to After clinkering, the clinker should be pulverpostpone the formation of calcium silicates and ized in any suitable or preferred manner to bring calcium aluminates, essential to the hydraulic the product into the usual powdery form of com- 45 qualities of cement, until the material has reached mercial cement.

the clinkering step or" the method. The burden of decomposing and reconverting The heat-treated calcareous material, in which the calcium hydroxide to an oxide may be rethe calcium carbonate has been converted to calmoved from the clinkering operation by dehycium oxide is then hydrated by subjecting it to the dratlng the powdery composition or mixture prior 50 action of water, without any grinding or the to clinkering, and this may readily be accom- 0 material. The elevated temperature produced by plished by utilizing the waste heat from the clinkthe exothermic heat generated by the hydration ering kiln and thus accomplish the aforesaid of the lime oxide together with the violent agitachange prior to subjecting it to the action of the tion of the reaction brings about a disintegration clinkering kiln, thereby greatly reducing the time 55 of the calcareous material to a powdery mass of clinkering and efiecting an important heat 0 economy in the operation of the kiln and thus reducing the cost of the product. The waste heat may be obtained from the products of the clinkering kiln, as the clinker itself, the products of combustion of the fuel for producing the clinkering heat, the stack gases, or heat which is ordinarily lost by radiation from the kiln. By this step of dehydrating, prior to clinkering, there is considerable shrinkage of the particles of the material which further increases the degree of fineness of the mass.

Following the step of dehydration, just described, the material being in an impalpably fine condition and entered into the kiln at approximately the temperature at which it is dehydrated, will quickly react to the temperature in the kiln or furnace and go into combination or effect combining of the elements without balling up and Without the production of uncombined centers in the clinker, thus producing a clinker of a nature that can be reduced to powder or pulverized with considerably less resistance than has heretofore been possible in methods wherein the material is brought practically to a point of fusion in the clinkering kiln in order to combine the elements. Furthermore, the powdery form and high temperature of the dehydrated mass lends itself to economy in the use of fuel and in the cost of carrying out the clinkering step. Subsequent to or before pulverizing, a suitable material, such as plaster of paris or gypsum may be added.

As the result of hydration, all of the lime may not have reacted to hydration, and consequently there may be some particles of lime remaining in a carbonate form, which carbonate particles would not properly clinker in the same time and at the same temperature as required for lime in an oxide form, thus when the clinker is pulverized producing a cement which is unsound in parts. To obviate this undesirable result and obtain a product which has completely reacted to hydration and consequently is such that it will properly clinker and produce a sound cement when pulverized, the material is subjected to classification in order to separate therefrom the coarse particles of lime in carbonate form which have not reacted to hydration and disintegration. These carbonate particles separated by classification may be again subjected to calcination and hydration along with other raw materials.

From the foregoing explanation of the present method; it will be understood that the calcareous and argillaceous materials are first subjected to an elevated temperature, short of clinkering, thereby preventing the formation of calcium silicates and calcium aluminates of lime in the calcareous material, but such as will convert the carbonate thereof to oxide form, i. e. lime; drive off volatile matter; and also dehydrate the argillaceous material and such other ingredients as may be present. Then the heat-treated calcareous material, in its physical condition as the result of the heat-treatment thereof, is hydrated to bring it to a fine powdery condition. The heat-treated argillaceous material and the hydrated calcareous material are then intimately mixed, and if desired they may be dehydrated which will further break down the powdery mass and increase its fineness. The next step is to clinker the powdery mass, and the final step is the grinding or pulverizing of the clinker.

In hydrating the heat-treated material, should it contain a low percentage of calcium oxide,

' there is added an amount 01 water in excess of that required to effect a complete hydration of the lime present. Also the temperature is preferably elevated above that produced by the exothermic heat developed during the chemical reaction incident to hydration by applying heat to the hydrator in which the material is being hydrated, whereby the excess water and additional heat assures a more violent hydration of the material into more finely divided particles as well as a more thorough mixing of the particles of the mass.

In subjecting the heat-treated calcareous material, containing a high percentage of lime oxide, to hydration, it is sufiicient to use only such a quantity of water as will produce complete hydration of the lime, and then suificient exothermic heat and agitation will be produced to assure the production of an extremely fine powdery mass.

Should the material to be hydrated contain an excess of lime oxide, or an insufficient amount of lime oxide, to produce a composition having the requisite ingredients for making cement, such elements or ingredients in which the composition may be deficient may be added in order to provide a chemically balanced composition. Should the ingredient in which the composition is deficient comprise either calcareous or argillaceous material, such material may be heat treated before it is added to the composition.

The present method of making cement may be carried out as a continuous system, or the heattreated and hydrated mixture may be produced in batches, and subsequently clinkered and ground.

In carrying out the invention in a continuous system, i. e,, calcining, hydrating, clinkering and pulverizing, the steps may follow one another immediately without any loss of time between the successive steps, and the dehydrating, immediately prior to clinkering, by the utilization of the waste heat from the clinkering operation, may be readily accomplished.

In a continuous system, should the material to be hydrated contain a low lime oxide content, the hydrated material will be in the form of a slurry when it leaves the hydrator, due to the use of excess water as hereinbefore described. This slurry may then be subjected to dehydration, before it is entered into the clinkering kiln, to expel the excess water in the mass and bring the mass to a powdery form. For dehydrating the slurry there may be utilized the waste heat from the clinkering operation as hereinbefore described.

When it is desired to produce the heat-treated and hydrated material in batches, the hydrated material may be brought to a state of dryness by subjecting it to an elevated temperature, as by the application of heat to the hydrator in which the material is hydrated.

According to the present invention there is economically produced a high early strength or quick hardening cement, and the usual step of grinding Leo condition as the result of the heat-treatment thereof.

2. In the making of Portland cement and preparatory to clinkering, the providing of raw material having a lime base, subjecting said material to a temperature such as will convert the lime base to an oxide but insufficient to form silicates and aluminates of lime, and then subjecting the heat-treated material to hydration while said material is in the physical condition as the result of the heat-treatment thereof.

3. In the making of Portland cement and preparatory to 'clinkering, the providing of raw material having a lime base, subjecting said material to a temperature such as will convert the lime base to an oxide but insurlicient to produce hydraulic properties in the heat-treated material, then subjecting the heat-treated material to hydration while said material is in the physical condition as the result of the heat-treatment thereof, and dehydrating the material preparatory to clinkering.

4. In the making of Portland cement and preparatory to clinkering, the providing of raw material having a lime base, subjecting said material to a temperature such as will convert the lime base to an oxide but insiniicient to produce hydraulic properties in the heat-treated material, subjecting the heat-t'reated material to hydration while said material is in the physical condition as the result of the heat treatment thereof, and separating the carbonate particles which have not fully reacted to hydration.

5. In the making of Portland cement and preparatory to clinkering, the providing of raw material having a lime base, subjecting said material to a temperature such as will convert the lime base to an oxide but insuilicient to produce hydraulic properties in the heat-treated material, subjecting the heat-treated material to hydration while said material is in the physical condition as the result of the heat-treatment thereof, dehydrating the material, and separating the carbonate particles which have not fully reacted to hydration.

6. In the making of Portland cement and preparatory to clinkering, the providing of raw material having a lime base, subjecting said material to a temperature such as will convert the lime base to an oxide but insufficient to produce hydraulic properties in the heat-treated material, then subjecting the heat-treated material to hydration while said material is in the physical condition as the result of heat-treatment thereof, mixing the hydrated material with argillaceous material preparatory to clinkering, and separating the carbonate particles which have not fully reacted to hydration.

'7. In the making of Portland cement and preparatory to clinkering, the providing of raw material having a lime base, subjecting said material to a temperature such as will convert the lime base to an oxide but insuilicient to produce hydraulic properties in the heat-treated material, then subjecting the heat-treated material to hydration while said material is in the physical condition as the result of the heat-treatment thereof, mixing the hydrated material with argillaceous material, dehydrating the mixture preparatory to clinkering, and separating the carbonate particles which have not fully reacted to hydration.

8. In the making of Portland cement and preparatory to clinkering, the providing of a calcareous material and an argillaceous material,

dehydrating the argillaceous material, subjecting the calcareous material to a temperature such as will convert the lime present therein to an oxide but insufficient to produce hydraulic properties in the calcareous material, then subjecting the heat-treated calcareous material to hydration while said calcareous material is in the physical condition as the result of the heat-treatment thereof, and mixing the hydrated calcareous and dehydrated argillaceous materials.

9. In the making of Portland cement and preparatory to clinkering, the providing oi a calcareous material and an argillaceous material, dehydrating the argillaceous material, subjecting the calcareous material to a temperature such as'will convert the lime present therein to an oxide but insufficient to produce hydraulic properties in the heat-treated calcareous material, then subjecting the heattreated calcareous material to hydration while said calcareous material is in the physical condition as the result of the heat-treatment thereof, mixing the hydrated calcareous and dehydrated argillaceous materials, and dehydrating the mixture preparatory to clinkering.

10. In the making of Portland cement and preparatory to clinkering, the providing of a calcareous material and an argillaceous material, dehydrating the argillaceous material, subjecting the calcareous material to a temperature 105 such as will convert the lime present therein to an oxide but insuiiicient to produce hydraulic properties in the calcareous material, subjecting the heat-treated calcareous material to hydration while said calcareous material is in the physno ical condition as the result of the heat-treatment thereof, mixing the hydrated calcareous and dehydrated argillaceous materials, and separating the carbonate particles which have not fully reacted to hydration.

11. In the making of Portland cement and preparatory to clinkering, the providing of a calcareous material and an argillaceous material, dehydrating the argillaceous material, subjecting the calcareous material to a temperature such as 120 will convert the lime present therein to an oxide but insufficient to produce hydraulic properties in the calcareous material, subjecting the heattreated calcareous material to hydration while said calcareous material is in the physical con- 25 dition as the result of the heat-treatment thereof, mixing the hydrated calcareous and dehydrated argillaceous material, dehydrating the mixture, and separating the carbonate particles which have not fully reacted to hydration.

12. The herein described method of making Portland cement comprising the providing of raw material having a lime base, subjecting sai material to a temperature such as will convert the lime base to an oxide but insufficient to form silicates and aluminates of lime, subjecting the heat treated material to hydration while said material is in the physical condition as the result of the heat treatment thereof, dehydrating argillaceous material, mixing the dehydrated and the hydrated materials, clinkering the mixture, and grinding the clinker into powdery form.

13. The herein described method of making Portland cement comprising the providing of raw material having a lime base, subjecting said material to a temperature such as will convert the lime base to an oxide but insuhicient to form silicates and aluminates of lime, subjecting the heat treated material to hydration while said material is in the physical condition as the rei50- sult of the heat treatment thereof, dehydrating argillaceous material, mixing the dehydrated. and the hydrated materials, dehydrating the mixture, clinkering the dehydrated mixture, and grinding the clinker to powdery form.

14. The herein described method of making Portland cement comprising the providing of raw material having a lime base, subjecting said material to a temperature such as will convert the lime base to an oxide but insuificient to form silicates and aluminates of lime, subjecting the heat treated material to hydration while said material is in the physical condition as the result of the heat treatment thereof, dehydrating argillaceous material, mixing the dehydrated and the hydrated materials, clinkering the mixture, grinding the clinker to powdery form, and dehydrating the mixture preparatory to clinkering by utilization of heat products of the clinkering operation.

15. The herein described method of making Portland cement comprising the providing of raw material having a lime base, subjecting said material to a temperature such as will convert the lime base to an oxide but insuificient to form silicates and aluminates of lime, subjecting the heat treated material to hydration while said material is in the physical condition as the result of the heat treatment thereof, dehydrating argillaceous material, mixing the dehydrated and the hydratedv materials, clinkering the mixture, grinding the clinkering to powdery form, and separating the carbonate particles which have not fully reacted to hydration prior to clinkering.

WILLOUGHBY E. SNYDER. 

